CONNECTICUT BREWERIES COMPETE TO CREATE THE BEST BARREL-AGED BEER
Onyx Spirits Company, a Connecticut craft liquor distillery, in partnership with Goodwin College, has announced the second annual Secret Stash Beer Bash to be held at Goodwin College on the Connecticut River August 27, 2016 to benefit student scholarships.
The Secret Stash Beer Bash was the first beer festival to exclusively feature Connecticut breweries producing barrel-aged beers, raising more than $10,000 for Goodwin College’s hardworking students.
The outdoor event will take place on the Goodwin College campus in East Hartford, CT and will feature music, local food, and an exclusive VIP boat cruise for sponsors. General admission tickets are $42 per person and include tastings of all the Secret Stash barrel-aged beers, a Secret Stash pilsner tasting glass, and Onyx Moonshine tastings. Designated Driver tickets are also available for $15 per person and include soft drinks.
“Last year we had almost 500 people on campus for a gorgeous night featuring Connecticut’s own breweries, local food, and music,” said Mark Scheinberg, President of Goodwin College. “We are so fortunate to have this partnership with East Hartford business, Onyx Spirits. They are true ambassadors for the Goodwin community.”
Each participating Connecticut brewery has received one seasoned five-gallon Secret Stash barrel to produce their best barrel-aged beer. The beer from each brewery will be judged by the Secret Stash Beer Bash attendees.
Last year’s winner was Shebeen Brewery from Wolcott, CT. As the winner, they had access to Onyx’s seasoned Secret Stash barrels for one year and they released several limited edition beers. This year’s winner will also partner with Onyx Spirits to release their own unique Secret Stash beer.
And the giving back continues after this year’s Bash! Onyx will be collecting the barrels from each brewery will age a special-edition of Secret Stash Whiskey in them. Each whiskey will have a hint of flavor from the unique barrel-aged brews. Onyx will donate back to the Goodwin College Foundation for every brewery whiskey flight purchased at the Onyx Speakeasy tasting room in East Hartford.
In 2013, Onyx Spirits Co. released Secret Stash, Connecticut’s first barrel aged whiskey. The product has garnered numerous international awards. It is produced using corn, malted grain, and Connecticut Spring water, then aged in five-gallon American oak barrels for more than two years before the barrels are ready for beer.
Find out more and purchase tickets to the event at www.goodwin.edu/secretstash.
About Onyx Moonshine
Onyx Spirits Company redefined American spirits with the release of Onyx Moonshine, the country’s first ultra-premium moonshine, and Secret Stash, New England’s first aged whiskey. Onyx Moonshine was the Official Spirit of the 2012 GRAMMY Awards. The company was voted by Yankee Magazine as the “Best New England Micro-Distillery,” won two gold medals at the 2014 International Craft Awards Competition, and won a triple gold medal at the 2014 Micro Liquor Awards. Learn more at www.onyxmoonshine.com.
Read our interview with entrepreneur Adam von Gootkin, Co-Founder of Onyx Spirits Company.
About Goodwin College
Goodwin College is an innovative learning community that empowers hard-working students to become sought-after employees. We tailor our programs to address the needs of employers, and we shape them to fit the lives of students. Classes are conveniently offered year-round — days, evenings, weekends, and online. Degrees may be flexibly layered across certificate, associate, and bachelor's programs in a variety of in-demand fields. Better still, we surround our students with the personal support and the professional guidance they need — not just to earn degrees, but to change lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. To learn more, visit www.goodwin.edu.
Read our interview with Goodwin College Founding President Mark Scheinberg.